Racket case



May' 17, 1927.

- E. C. HOOVER ET AL RACKETv CASE Filed vSepi'l 17, 1924 Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED s'rATEs orFiCB E11-BERT C. HOOVER AND IRWIN C. HOOVER, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICTv 0F COLUMBIA.

RACKET CASE.

Application led September 17, 1924. Serial N'o. 738,215.

' Our invention relates to improvements in protective cases for tennis rackets and similar stringed game bats.

Heretofore, covers for stringed game bats have been used consisting of either a bulky casin for covering the entire bat head and handige stringed head, this latter type of case being provided with snap fastenersor strings for holding the casing in position over the head. One object of our invention is to provide for a novel and improved construction. of cases for protecting the head, frame and strings of a racket or game bat.

Another object is to provide a case into which the portions of the racket to be pro- A tected may be easily inserted or withdrawn and which, when ositioned,.wi1l effectively and instantaneous y close itself 'around `the handle of vthe bat to keep out dirt and moisture.A v

A further object of our invention is to provide a racket case composed ofl a transparent, waterproof material .so that the strings of the racket or bat may be examined through the material, without removingv the racket or bat from the case. In the casesas now made, it' is necessary to remove the racket'or bat from its case for examination.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of our case positionedxover the racket head. l Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical showing of our case in opened position for insertion or with' drawal of the racket head.

Fig. 3, is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. '2, and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

an entirety, which is made of two flat sections 2 and 3, of properly shaped material, sewed together to form an open ended bag.

The method of securing together the scctions of material 2 and 3 is illustrated in Fig. 4. Over the edges of the material is placed the reinforcing tape 4, and the four thicknesses vof fabric are sewed together as at 5. The open ended bag is then pulled inside out so that the tape 4 lies within the bag and is thus hidden from view. This tape 4 is left longer than the sides of the bag for a purpose to be later described. The bottom edge of the open end or mouth or an envelope for covering only the and moisture. i

In the drawings 1 illustrates our case asv of the bag` thus formed, is folded over and in, as shown in Fig. 3f An endless elastic band 8 of proper size, is placed within the fold formed by the turned in edge, and the fold sewed all around at 6, through a reinforcing tape 7' to the sides of the bag or-case.

It Willbe seen from Fig. 3 that the reinforcing tape 4 is extended for a short distance below the mouth, ofthe bag. These extensions are for the purpose of forming hand pulls or tabs 9, 9, which are grapsed by the fingers of each hand and extended sideways for opening the mouth of the bag against the resiliency of the elastic band 8. This band 8 is of such a size as to normally contract the mouth of the bag or case. 4

The ends of the tape 4 are folded over the sides of the bag and sewed thereto by the stitching 6. The extensions of the tape 4, denoted 9, 9, also fold upon'themselves and are again' sewed to themselves and to the 75 l side walls of the bag or casing at 10. This stitching 10 is for the purpose of reinforcing and to keep the strain, when the tabs 9, 9, are pulled, from the side walls of the bag.

In use, the hand pulls or tabs 9, 9, are extended in opposite directions to open the mouth of the bag or case against the tension of the elastic band 8. When the mouth of the bag or case has been opened, the racket or bat is inserted in the case and the hand 55 i pulls or tabs 9, 9, released, which allows the band 8 to contract themouth of the case tightly around` the Ahandle of the racket or bat. 'Thus, the racket or.bat head and its strings are effectively protected from dirt im To remove the .racket from the case, the pulls 9, 9, .are extended as before, and the racket withdrawn. The case with its mouth inopened position for insertion or withdrawal of the racket is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. f`

While any waterproof sheeting of fabric may be used for constructing our cases, We p prefer to use varnished silk or asit is com- 100 monly known, oiled silk.. y

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An open mouth casev of the character described consisting of two 'similar fabricsections secured together at their peripheral edges by an attached strip, the material of' the case at the mouth thereof being ,folded ies of the fabric sections beyond the mouth back and secured upon itself, an elastic of the case on each side thereof.

band inserted within the folded portion lto In testimony whereof .we ax ,our signa- 10 normally constrict the o enng of the mouth, tures. `v w 5 said mouth being capa levof extension by hand pulls which are formed by extending ELBERT C. HOOVER.

the' strip which is attached to the periphervIRWIN C. HOOVER. 

